The Tears of Tarael
by Berry Riddler
Summary: Tarael never felt like she fit in with her family. One day, she is transported to the past, to meet her Grandparents in their younger forms. Tarael finds out something that will change her life forever, and that the fate of the world rests in her hands.
1. Tarael and Loki

The Tears of Tarael  
  
Berry: Hi, everyone! I didn't have much room to summarize the fic entirely, so I'll have to do that here. -__-;; I know, I know. Annoying. Okay, so this story (which is a sequel to an unfinished fic that will be posted some day) is about Tarael, a girl who thinks she'll never fit in with her family. Her father was Prince Sameth, and her mother Azuriel, the daughter of two inhuman beings, who happened to be the Grandparents she lived with in Bain. Her Brother is athletic, smart, handsome, the complete opposite of Tarael. One day, she finds a mirror that can transport her to the past, or the future. Her Grandmother tells her she must go to the past, to the time when Orannis was sealed away by the Abhorsen, Lirael Goldenhand. So, Tarael goes to the past, to carry out some secret mission that not even she knows. She meets her Grandparents who are much younger, and soon Tarael finds that the fate of the world rests on the edge of a knife.  
  
--------------------- Chapter One: Tarael and Loki ------------------------- -----------------------  
  
The flames danced reflections in her eyes as she stared. Tarael shuddered, watching her grandmother as blank and lifeless as that. But she knew she was Seeing something.  
  
Tarael stared at her Grandmother's green-buckled boot, hoping she would have the Sight, as well. But nothing came into her mind. She shut her eyes tightly, hoping that the darkness of her eyelids would form shapes that would show her the future.  
  
All she could see was black blobs. She opened her eyes, annoyed, to realize that her Grandmother was gone! "GRANDMA DRAGONSONG!" She cried out, suddenly. No answer. She realized that the castle was eerily quiet. Normally she would hear the shuffling of feet outside, or people calling out to each other in the corridors. But she could hear nothing.  
  
She opened the frail wooden door slowly, careful not to grip the doorknob too hard in fear that it would break under her touch. She poked her head outside to look into the darkness of the corridor. Even the candles that hung parallel to each other on the walls were out. Something was definitely wrong. The candles were never out...not even in emergencies!  
  
The smell of free magic found its way into Tarael's nose and she gasped as the stench choked her. "Oh no..." She gasped, covering her mouth and her nose. There was a brief, but bright flicker on the deep end of the corridor. Tarael unsheathed her sword, sighing at the recognizable whossh noise it made when it came out. The charter marks on it glowed brightly and faded. She decided to charge for it. Whatever it was probably was going to just head-on attack her instead of an ambush, so it'd just be best if she had her adrenaline pumping.  
  
She glided swiftly out into the darkness, her knuckles white as she squeezed the handle of the sword angrily. "ARGHH!" She cried, swinging at a shadow in the darkness. Whatever it was had moved away, because she felt it behind her. She swung around quickly, and proved how unskilled she was with her sword, because the creature had simply walked out of the way. Something grabbed the orange-singed part of her hair, and she squeaked in surprise.  
  
"Now, now," a voice said, free magic crackling in every word, making Tarael wince. Her heart pounded. "I don't want a granddaughter of mine to be such a coward." Tarael spun around just in time to catch a glance of her attacker as her sword lit up with charter marks.  
  
Her eyes widened in fear. It was Grandpa Loki. But not in his usual red surcoat...  
  
It was shining white fire, like free magic. He was un-bound! Tarael couldn't fight back the tears forming in her eyes, because she knew this was the end.  
  
Berry: So, how'd you like? ^_^ Please review! But no flames, please. I hate flames. ___ 


	2. Something You Must Know

The Tears of Tarael  
  
Berry: Hihi, everyone! ^__^ Thanks to the one person who reviewed for reviewing. :D Anyway, I write about a chapter or two every day (or at least try to) so this thing hopefully won't be neglected like...some of my other stories. ^^;; But I am plagued with writer's block.-__-; On with the story!  
  
---------------------------------Chapter two: Something You Must Know ------ -----------------  
  
Loki's claws squeezed around Tarael's fragile neck. The free magic smell was choking her slowly. "G-grandpa...," Tarael wheezed. She dropped her sword, and heard the loud metal clatter it made as it hit the floor. It echoed, and echoed, but Tarael could hear nothing except the ragged breaths that she took and her pounding heart.  
  
Suddenly there was a whisper. A whisper that filled Tarael with hope, although her fate was inevitable. The pinch of Loki's claws was gone. Tarael's hands automatically flew up to her neck. The whisper was becoming louder, and louder. Loki's head turned, to a dark shadow in the corner.  
  
Tarael turned her head, too. She could barely make out the shadowy figure standing there. Loki let out a low hiss against the whispers coming from the shadow. They seemed to be a mixture of charter magic and free magic, sending a chill down her spine and a warmth in her heart. A flash of lightning dangerously close to the castle set the hall alight for a moment, giving Tarael enough time to see some of the mysterious shadow. The figure was clad in an emerald green surcoat, decorated with platinum crescent moons, identical to Tarael's. The shine of the green buckles of the black boots had caught Tarael's eyes. It was Dragonsong!  
  
"Not again, Loki." The voice of Dragonsong spoke, but it sounded so unfamiliar from the warm, welcoming voice that Tarael was used to. "I can do whatever I want to her. She's of my blood, as well." He threw Tarael to the cold, grey marble floor.   
  
"I'm not letting you do this, Loki." Dragonsong growled. The wispy smoke-like shadows of the shadowsword twirled around her arms, and fingers as she held it. "Not again."  
  
In Loki's right hand appeared a blade of fire and darkness, covered in free magic symbols telling of the Destroyer. Tarael crawled to the nearest door, and sat up. There was a loud clang, and white sparks were sent flying in the air. The two swords met, once again, sending more white sparks in the air. Tarael whimpered. She didn't know what to do. She had almost forgotten about the polished bandolier across her chest. The black leather was polished to a fine sheen, and it had 7 pouches...each for the bells of a necromancer.  
  
Tarael grabbed Saraneth, the 6th biggest and 2nd most powerful bell. It would bind whoever it was directed to to the wielders will -- for good, or for evil. Tarael remembered how her grandmother had taught her how to ring it. In a figure 8, she recited to herself in her head. She rung it, forcing out her will for Loki to stop and return to normal. Loki turned around, eye's silvery-white with anger.  
  
"You little weakling!" He hissed, suddenly getting so close, his youthful long face parallel to her own. His eye twitched. "Grandpa, please stop, please go back to normal!" Tarael pleaded. He laughed, a horrible free magic laugh that made Tarael want to throw up all over him. "What a stupid request...This is my normal form, you moron. What is wrong with you? How are you supposed to become my heir when you know nothing of this? Hm?" Tarael thought she could take no more of his voice, when he stopped talking. His eyes widened for a moment, and closed, slowly. He fell over, in a puff of white fire as he fell to the ground.  
  
Dragonsong stood behind him with the shadowsword in hand. "Thank you for diverting his attention." She said. Tarael shivered in fear. She had heard that it took great evil to awaken the other side of Grandpa Loki...She reached out to squeeze his arm when Dragonsong barked, "Don't touch him!". Tarael jumped in surprise. His surcoat was beginning change to it's usual red color. "Grandma..." Tarael said, questions swimming in her mind. What was she going to ask? She realized it was funny calling Dragonsong 'Grandma', because Grandmas normally make you think of a kindly old woman sitting down in a rocking chair, knitting sweaters. But Dragonsong looked only about 14, and was more active than a 6-year-old boy with ADD.  
  
Dragonsong pulled Tarael to her feet, and gestured for her to follow. The candles flickered on, and Tarael carefully made sure she stepped over the unconscious Loki. "Grandma," Tarael whispered, not wanting to break the silence. "What's going on?"  
  
Dragonsong grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "I think it's time for you to know." She said. They entered the fire-lit bedroom they had been in, maybe a half hour before. Laying on the bed was a large green book, bound with charter marked steel. A chill ran up Tarael's spine. This book only a charter mage could open, and only a charter mage could finish. It had turned many of the good into the corrupt, and held knowledge...knowledge that was dangerous. This book was...The Book of the Dead.  
  
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Berry: I hope you all liked it. ^_^ More to come! :D 


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